


I’m Praying (There’s Saving)

by TyeDyeBoogers



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Angst, Blood, Canon Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Gabriel Agreste as Persephone, Happy Ending, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Nathalie Sancoeur as Hades, Nathalie is awesome, Surprise cameos from other characters as gods, epic displays of power, gabriel is an idiot, there is a three-headed corgi the size of a bus, this is what is sounds like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27925372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TyeDyeBoogers/pseuds/TyeDyeBoogers
Summary: It was to be Gabriel's first party on Olympus, but little did he know it would also be the last. Not only for him, but for everyone. In the blink of an eye everything changed,  sending the god of nature and his newborn son to take refuge with the Queen of the Dead. They thought they were safe, but even the depths of the underworld couldn't escape the King’s wrath forever.
Relationships: Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Comments: 16
Kudos: 25
Collections: GabeNath Reverse Bang 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GranadaCtonica](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GranadaCtonica/gifts).



> Thank you so so so much to the lovely MaybeMayura for all her work as beta, without her this story would not be.

“Gabriel!” The ebullient cry made the god in question look up from the plant sprouting between his hands, its bright green leaves stretching out, branches drooping fruit laden against his knees. It was a dry and clear day just as it had been for the preceding days, exceedingly dry, but this god cared not as he coaxed healthy crops from the ground with a wave of his hand. Jagged dropped to the ground behind him with a cloud of dust, the wings fluttering to a close at his ankles, to which Gabriel raised one hand distractedly in greeting.

“What brings you out this way Jagged?” Gabriel pushed to his feet brushing the dirt from his knees. Jagged shot him a cheeky grin, twirling a scroll like a baton. Gabriel peered at the ethereally glowing thing and sighed, “I didn’t think you were in the habit of delivering love notes.”

Jagged threw his head back and laughed, his hair flying. Gabriel’s eyes shot briefly skyward as he brushed past the helplessly chortling messenger. His steps were soft against the grass that appeared wherever he was. Even Jagged’s sandals were silent on the fresh carpeting as he hustled to catch up. 

“You must be thinking of someone else. Perhaps Chloe?” 

“Ugh, I’d rather have nothing to do with that troublemaker. Not after that revel last year.” Gabriel’s mouth twisted at the memory. The smells of smoke and sounds of rising laughter came bubbling from the house and courtyard as patrons swung left and right. The vibrant and sad green eyes, a pain in his chest, and one hazy night. Jagged eyes glittered as he remembered as well.

“That was a good night. Didn’t I see you leave with a mysterious and gorgeous woman?” He waggled his eyebrows at Gabriel suggestively. 

“You were too far into your cups that night to remember anything clearly.” Gabriel shoved Jagged’s shoulder sending the god stumbling away a few steps with another burst of laughter. “Chloe was at it that evening. I found the mark of her arrow the next morning. I’m afraid I don’t remember much else.”

“All I know is it was a good night.” Jagged casually twirled the scroll between his fingers, the other hand tucking around his satchel. “Anyway, that’s not why I’m here. I join you this day in my official capacity.”

With a snap of his fingers the scroll hovered before the both of them and unrolled, glowing with the light of the Queen’s hand. It took a moment before their eyes adjusted and the words became legible.

“A naming ceremony? Isn’t that a little pretentious?” Gabriel reached out and rolled it up again.

“Eh,” Jagged shrugged. “She’s the Queen of Gods; she can do what she wants. I heard that this one is going to be her heir, so that probably why. If you can’t throw a party for no reason, make one!”

“I guess.”

“So, you coming?”

“It would be nice to take a break. I’ll see about it.” 

“Oh, I forgot. She wanted me to ask if you’d decorate for the party. You do have the best flowers.”

“Next time, lead with that.” He replied wryly, shooting a pointed look at Jagged. Gabriel tucked the scroll under the belt of tree bark wrapped around his waist before raising one hand to Jagged who kicked up another cloud of dust as he took off propelled by his winged sandals. When it settled and Gabriel could see again, Jagged was a mere dot among the distant clouds. His fingers tapped restlessly on the rolled up invitation. 


	2. Chapter 2

“You made it!” 

Gabriel’s eyes closed at the booming echo of Jagged’s exuberant call surrounding him in Olympus’ prytaneion. It was truly gigantic, with a soaring Doric colonnade which somehow left the stoa feeling oddly bare, even now as the columns were mostly covered with heavy blooms and verdant leaves. Though the entablature and the gable were beautifully carved with friezes of the Queen’s defeat of the villainous Titans, it still felt imposingly empty

The good thing about their lofty height and that was they let so much natural light, which seemed to emanate from the very clouds, in Olympus. The golden glow caught on the green leaves of the vines now twining around the columns full of fragrant grapes. These edible decorations were tinged with the light making them appear gilded. 

“You’ve never been to a party on Olympus before.” Jagged landed next to him one arm slung around his neck. The grunt of air that this forced out of Gabriel’s lungs was covered by the clatter of Jagged sandals on the stone and the flutter of their wings. 

“When the queen asks you to decorate, you can’t exactly say no.” Gabriel grumbled.

“Oi, mate, this is going to be fabulous.”

“It can’t be that much different than any other party.” 

“How wrong you are,” Jagged smirked at him out of the corner of his eye. “Oh, guests are arriving.” 

With that he was gone, leaving a bewildered Gabriel staring after him amongst the broad leaves of the vines limned with ethereal light. The way the guests' voices bounced off the columns made it sound like there were more people than there actually were. Gabriel, coming from the mortal world where his plants were more needed, lived in seclusion and thus shied away. He only attended the rarest of parties held in the mortal realm and seldom interacted with the gods of Olympus who were at that moment mobbing the entrance, all talking together with gifts in hand. Taking a deep breath, Gabriel plunged in among them and immediately regretted it. The crowd flowed like a river into the main room, their current jostling him along inescapably. Inside, the crowd spread like a river mouth dumping Gabriel like silt into an unknown environment. Their murmurs of awe rippled through the room as the gods took in the opulent decorations of brilliant leaves and flowers. 

Taking his chance, Gabriel slipped to the side, clutching a cup of ambrosia behind a particularly voluminous foliage that he didn’t realize would be so helpful when he placed it. That was where Jagged found him. 

“You hiding, Gabriel?” Gabriel didn’t answer for at that moment the crowd split, opening a space for two golden, glowing figures, glittering crowns sat on their brows,. Just behind them were two more women, one in trailing green robes that looked like ocean waves crashing, seashells in her light hair tumbling carelessly over one shoulder. The other held a dozing child. Her dark hair was cut by a stripe of red, and her indigo gown caught the blue of her eyes making them feel otherworldly. 

“Who is that?” The question was barely a whisper having fallen unknowingly from his lips, but Jagged still heard it. His head swayed as he turned a look on Gabriel. 

“The Queen.” He said, tone clearly indicating that Gabriel should know this. 

“No-“ Gabriel’s eyes flickered toward the golden woman and froze as he really looked at her taking in the shape of her face and her eyes. “Oh no.”

“What?” Gabriel didn’t answer as the memory flooded him again. 

_She cried, arms flailing out as she tried to regain her balance. A soft gasp sounded as Gabriel steadied her, he froze, heart stuttering at the ethereal green eyes dancing behind a coy smile. A sharp pain in his chest, the rapid speed of his pulse quickened the urge that filled him. They kissed, both tenderly and passionately their sighs soft and sweet carrying them through the night._

He jumped at the touch of a hand on his shoulder. Jagged peered at him behind shaggy black hair and a sloshing cup. Gabriel forced a smile to his face--uncertain how smile-like the motion was--as he waved the godoff. 

One brief speech thanking everyone later, the mother and child were making the rounds. Eventually, even with his efforts to hide they eventually found him, the happy family descending upon him in the middle of his panic. The vague memories resolved into clearer images led him to the realization that the woman from that night had been none other than the Queen in disguise. 

He looked up and caught her green eyes on him, caught like a trapped animal. Her smile turned mischievous around the edges. Gabriel frantically searched for an exit but with his back against the wall surrounded by gods and goddesses on either side there was no easy way out. 

Taking a hasty gulp of his drink, Gabriel braced for the oncoming Queen, who was momentarily waylaid by a few gods with congratulatory handshakes and cooing over the baby. 

He dipped into a bow as the golden couple finally reached him, the last dregs of liquid in his cup rippling from the nervous tremble of his hand. There was something in the way that the King watched him that made the hairs in the back of his neck stand on end. It was almost as though there was a thick dark green cloud surrounding the god. 

“Lady Emilie, Lord Herro, congratulations.”

“Thank you, Gabriel. I must say, your decorations are simply divine.” Her voice was light and sweet. An embarrassed yet pleased flush filled his cheeks when he found himself caught in the intensity of Queen Emilie’s eyes. There was a smirk about her, not obvious on her lips but in her manner.

“It was a pleasure to decorate for such a joyous occasion.”

“It is, isn’t it?” She mused softly, looking down to the child now in her arms swathed in golden blankets. “Thank you for coming to greet _our_ child, Adrien. Would you like to hold him?”

Gabriel gaped at the Queen, words fled from his mind making him unable to reply. Smiling kindly she placed the sleeping baby in his arms. Soft blond curls, sparse as they were, fell over a smooth baby brow. His little nose twitched in his sleep. Gabriel couldn’t help the rush of emotion that filled him upon seeing the child, so soft and adorable. It filled a space in him that would be empty the moment Adrien left his arms. 

“What is this?” Soft and dangerous, the question pulled Gabriel’s gaze to the man who had spoken. Bronze hair, and a square flat jaw, shadowed by anger in the deep set eyes. King Herro glowered at Gabriel and Adrien. Gabriel couldn’t fathom what was wrong. He looked frantically between the king and baby in his arms, turning lost eyes on the Queen, who only looked resigned.

“What is what, Herro?” She asked just as quietly. 

“I’ve had my suspicions, but for you to flaunt it in front of me thusly. How dare you?”

“How dare I?” Her voice was rising as she turned on him. Other gods were starting to look, drawn by the commotion. “How dare I? How dare _you_? This is a party for our child, and you are making it all about you, again.”

“That is not my child; I can see it clearly now. Look at them, so similar. Do you deny it?”

“I do not.” Emilie declared with her head held high, glaring back at Herro down the length of her nose. Gabriel swallowed thickly, glancing down at the child still in his arms, the chin and jaw narrow under the baby roundness much like that of his own.

"You _what?"_

King Herro's voice thundered throughout the core of Olympus as he stood in the middle of the party surrounded by all the gods, face twisted in an agonizing fury. At the sensation, the gods gasped gawking in shock.The chatter of the party fell silent. Animals within a half mile's radius dropped to the ground, knocked off of their feet. Everything that had once moved grew impossibly still. All gazes were focused on but one thing.

Queen Emilie, stood before her husband Herro and the rest of the gods, face paling under his hostile expression. Gabriel backed away, heart pounding in fear, the baby in his arms. His eyes were just as wide as all of the other gods in attendance, save perhaps Chloe, who looked almost gleeful as she crossed her arms over the strap of her quiver. Emilie’s face twisted. A similar feeling crawled up his throat as he caught sight of Herro’s face. What had been a joyous occasion had somehow gone terribly wrong. She looked to the child, met the sight of each feature, each trait mirroring her own. She spoke again. 

"He isn’t your son. I slept with the God of Nature, Lord Gabriel." Her eyes focused on Gabriel, whose as his world fell out from under him The truth of the statement filled him with a leaden feeling of terrified realization. _That night_. He looked at baby Adrien in his arms, wailing inconsolably. 

"What the hell is the _matter_ with you?" Herro yelled, slamming his staff to the floor. Several cracks spread out, and patrons cried at its suddenness. Gods scattered, their terrified screams echoing as the cracks spread, shaking the columns from their bases, large chunks of stone thundering to the floor.

Gabriel clutched the wailing form of his son closer as he fought to keep his feet on the roiling floor. That was a thought; _his son_. A hand wrapped around his arm, pulling him back and away from the chaos before him. The tug sent him lurching off balance 

“Gabriel!” The familiar voice cut through the panic. It took a moment before the face before him resolved into Jagged. “Herro has lost it; you have to leave now. Come with me.”

Jagged must have used his powers, the only explanation, to guide them safely through the panicking gods. He shoved Gabriel into a chariot of dark metal, hitched to four huge black Eleia mares. Gabriel resisted looking back trying to see through the pandemonium to where the King and Queen of Olympus stood at odds. 

"Now before I _destroy_ that little excuse of a god,” Herro snarled, eyes ablaze with jealousymore furious than he had ever been. He pointed a finger as though she sickened him. “I demand to know how this happened.”

So, she told him.

"You filthy **_WHORE!!!!_** _"_ Herro lashed out, about to strike her, but she blocked him with her lightning bolt, gasping at his sudden attack. He growled pulling it roughly from her grasp and sending it clattering to the side. "Don't play unfair with that _thing!_ You deserve this and you _know_ it! Stop acting like you're above me." She struggled for the bolt, but it fell out of reach from her hands. Before he could continue he was blocked by a golden trident, the tines spinning his attack harmlessly away. 

"Stop this madness! What has passed has passed!" Amelie shoved the crazed man back, blocking him with her weapon.

“Let me through, Amelie! I need to speak to my _wife."_

"Then speak. Weapons are not needed for speech _!"_ She growled, pushing him back further daring him to take another step the butt of her trident slammed to the ground with an emphatic crack. He rolled his eyes, then trained his gaze on Emilie, distaste and hurt still tracing his features. A grin slowly took over his face. 

"Weapons are for punishment, which is what she deserves. I am the god of marriage, how can I overlook such a blatant betrayal?” Emilie breathed in sharply, freezing like a statue as a new weapon appeared in Herro's hand: terrifyingly familiar craggy edged staff, like lightning caught in ice. 

"No! Herro, no! You can’t-.” Emilie’s words were cut off with her own ear-piercing scream that filled the valley, followed by a barren silence. Nobody moved, not even the trees. Herro looked surprised for just a second, and then triumphant as he looked at the weapon then raised it high into the air. 

"Emilie is Ruler of Olympus no more!" He cried, raising the bolt within his hand. "I AM THAT TITLE'S NEW BEARER!" Amelie’s tears spilled free as she looked to where Emilie once was, shattered into a million pieces leaving naught but a fast-fading shade behind.

"HERRO!" Amelie roared, throwing her trident at him like a javelin. She stared in shock at Emilie’s hazy image, gently reaching out to it with trembling fingertips. 

"What did you _do?"_ She demanded, turning furiously on Herro. He chuckled, rolling his eyes as if the whole thing was ridiculous. 

"Only what she did to our dear father. I doubt there is enough of her spirit left behind to make it to the underworld." He laughed, brushing the remaining smoke off of his fingers. "She had it coming. We all knew Emilie wasn't fit to be ruler _anyway."_

_"_ What gives you the right?" Amelie sobbed. Herro rolled his eyes, more exasperated than amused. 

“Emilie was the youngest of us, and it showed.” He sneered dropping carelessly onto the ruins of Emilie's throne. The arm holding the scepter draped casual around one knee, his pose utterly relaxed as he smiled humorlessly. Amelie sought her trident, the fingers of one hand curling around the shaft, preparing tothrow. Her movements were subtle but still Herro noticed. 

"Ah, ah. I can just do the same thing I did to her to you." He tutted at her with a shake of his head. The move sent his crown, precarious from the tussle, falling to clatter against the stone. 

“You wouldn’t dare.”

"My dear girl," Herro said, as smooth as glass, "What do you think lightning does to water? Care to find out?" He stood to his full height, and pointed the weapon between her eyes. She froze, eyes widened, trained on the tool. "Now leave, before I make you a shade, too." 

Gabriel knew that what had just happened was not good. The chariot swayed under his feet as the horses shifted nervously. Taking the reins in one hand and Adrien in the other, he looked at the broken center of Olympus Gabriel. Hoping against hope even as Herro’s vitriol soaked the very air. Then Gabriel fled.

“Titans, hear me! The god Adrien is an illegitimate wretch and as such is sentenced to death. When you find him, do what you will.”

* * *

Jagged had brought him to the chariot but Gabriel knew not whose it was. That was, until the earth split before his eyes and swallowed them whole. The scream ripped from his throat joined the wailing of baby Adrien. Crouched in the basket, frantically trying to quiet his wailing baby, Gabriel felt more lost than ever before. 

“Shhh, yes you are fine.” The horses’ frantic neighing settled into quiet knickers. The new voice was soft and sweet, pitched low and calming as it spoke to the horses. “I’d wondered where you’d gotten to, silly, but what have you brought me?”

Gabriel looked up into the otherworldly blue eyes of the woman from before. She looked serene and not nearly as panicked as she should have been, but then Gabriel couldn’t recall seeing her after Emilie’s speech. Everything uncertain as he stared up at her. She seemed to understand without him needing to out her hand There was something so reassuring about her that Gabriel took it, letting her pull him from the chariot. Her gaze fell to the bundle in his arms.

“Adrien? What happened?” 

He tried to but failed his words a loss just like the rest of him. 

“So long as you are in my domain, on my honor, I promise you will be safe.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helpful Words:  
> Stoa- A covered walkway usually found at the entrances of buildings with lots of columns   
> Entablature- the horizontal section above the columns of the stoa, usually possessing friezes.  
> Prytaneion- a variety of buildings which house the seat of government.   
> Eleia- also called Andravida, a light draft horse breed native to the Ilia region of Greece.


	3. Chapter 3

"Whoo! Look at them go!"

Adrien cheered as he watched a three-headed corgi race his cat, Plagg. They whipped around a circular path in the meadow, clawing at the ground at breakneck speed. A final cheer erupted from the boy as Plagg came in just a second before the corgi and he clapped giddily. 

"Attaboy, Plagg!" He cheered, raising the cat in the air. He nuzzled behind Plagg’s ears as the cat purred, scratching the dog's fur as well. "You did just as well, Barkk." He said warmly. Both animals head-butted him with all of their heads and he laughed, ending up in the grass. They fought and they wrestled, Adrien laughing as he finally sat up and squeezed them tight.

Gabriel watched pensively from a distance The boy's smile appeared bright and unguarded, wholly unafraid of the world, caught in this single joyous moment Gazing at him, Gabriel hoped it would stay that way. The tremulous peace found by hiding away could only last for so long. Adrien noticed his father and waved at him brightly. Gabriel smiled.

Adrien came bounding up to him, still in high spirits, with a sudden hug that caused Gabriel to grunt in surprise. Quickly he shook his head with a smile, returning his son's embrace. Adrien broke away from his father with a smile of his own. His expression was pleading, excited, as he gazed at his father with affection. 

"Can I see my friends Nino, Alya, and Marinette today, Father? It's been forever since we've all gone out." Gabriel's heart rate picked up, as he thought of where the kids might go. He envisioned them in their pack of four, hands joined, flying up all the way to Olympus. He frowned and crossed his arms, immediately on guard. 

"And where would you be going?" He demanded. Adrien rubbed his neck, familiar with the reaction, and gazed into his eyes. 

"We're just going to the river, Father," he muttered, and the tension in the air was palpable as a slight silence followed his words. 

“Which river?”

“Styx.” Gabriel’s eyes narrowed on the boy, his fingers rubbing across his chin in thought. 

"Fine. But you had better be back on time. And for the love of Styx, do not go anywhere near Tartarus. If you fall in there, you will never come out again." 

"Understood." Adrieded, about to retreat, but stopped when Gabriel caught his arm. 

"Just be careful," he whispered faintly, his anger evaporating. his anger evaporating. He nodded at his father in response.

"I know. I'll be okay." With that, he flew away with Plagg, Barkk, Tikki, and his other animal companions. Gabriel sighed as he watched him go, hating his own harshness. Roughly shoving his fingers through his hair, several of the leaves and flowers ever-present fell to the dark craggy rocks under his feet. As he bent to pick them up, the toes of another person came into view. He hadn't noticed that he was no longer alone until he turned around. Yelping his flowers flew to the floor again. The figure shook her head, a small smile falling on her lips.

"Well, hello to you too, Gabriel." He flushed as he bent down to grab the flowers once more. 

"Nathalie," he said simply, "Whatever is the occasion?"

“The same as always. Checking on my nephew and his charming father.” She removed a fallen flower from his shoulder. Twirling it idly between her fingers, she looked through her lashes at him. “Have you thought about what I said?”

“I have,” he said, watching her. His fingers reached out to touch the waxy fruits on the trees. The pomegranates hung like ornaments from the study old branches, tempting him. Yet the fruit of the underworld was not for the lips of the living. Gabriel wasn’t sure how exactly the trees managed to grow, particularly when his efforts to coax anything green to live failed miserably, time and time again. 

With a sigh, he looked through the trees to the agora, the same as any other he’d seen, only lit by lanterns and fire, the warm flickering lights casting plenty of light across every surface. The cavern-like realm had been his home these years, with its five rivers and the shades of the dead. 

“Did you see? The -” 

"Father!" The panicked cry reached them before the boy and his friends. The young deities gasped for breath as they fought to get the words out but they were all talking over one another making it impossible to distinguish one voice from the next. 

"Silence." The echo of her command silenced even the air. Queen of the Underworld, not Nathalie, stared down the young deities. They stared back faces full of relief now warring with their panic, clearly thankful for her taking control. "Now, _one_ of you. Speak."

They looked to each other before Adrien stepped forward.

"We were playing a game of tag and we stumbled across the border."

"You left the underworld?" Gabriel burst in, panic in his voice. This had been his fear all along. The moment Adrien left the bounds of the underworld Herro would be able to sense him. After that, it was only a matter of time until they were found.

"Gabriel." Nathalie spoke softly in his ear, laying a gentle hand on his arm. The panic was building. She turned back to the kids. "You went across the border and -?"

"Everything was dead. All the plants, the crops in the fields, everything," Marinette, One of the other young deities said, her young face horrified. Gabriel’s breath froze in his chest. _All the plants dead?_

"Thank you for informing me. It would be best if none of you left the bounds of the underworld for the time being. Go back to the agora." With that they scampered away, though Gabriel was only dimly aware; the sounds filtered through an all-encompassing fog. His chest felt tight. All his plants were dead. 

"Father?" Adrien’s worried face hovered at his elbow. Gabriel blinked, then forced a reassuring smile to his face. Adrien did not seem at all reassured. Letting the grimace fall away, Gabriel lay a hand on Adrien’s shoulder. 

“Go back to the oikos. Everything will be okay. I promise.” His eyes flickered to Nathalie’s over the boy’s head. Her mouth was a tight line as she nodded tersely. 

“But, father-“ 

“No, Adrien. Go.” It took a moment of furious pouting before the boy finally left, glancing back over his shoulder several times before he was out of sight. 

Once Adrien was gone, Gabriel turned back to Nathalie finding her already watching him. Her blue eyes were full of the answer to the unspoken question burning inside of him. There was no need to speak, they already knew and speaking would have only wasted time. 

Tension sat coiled along his spine, and any noise other than their footsteps sent his nerves jangling like a string of bells. The set of Nathalie shoulders said she was just as on edge as he. Catching his look, she offered her hand. It was easy to take it, linking their fingers together for comfort as they forged on toward the border. 

The River Styx was forever an awe inspiring sight, broad calm water that split the earth and the underworld, clear as the sky in summer. Though she could be quite pernicious, she mostly preferred to stay calm so that her husband could work peacefully as he may. 

They approached the boat on the bank, its ferryman shrouded in a dark cloak leaned over the side and trailed his fingers through the water.

“My lady Sabine, would you mind if we borrowed your beloved for a bit?” Nathalie sketched a bow toward the water.

“You may indeed, for it must be important if you are here.” The soft voice of Sabine rang through their minds, earning a grumble from Tom and a shudder from Gabriel at the eerie feeling. Shaking off the feeling, Gabriel helped Nathalie into the skiff with a gentle hand. 

“We would be most obliged.” Nathalie offered the man, a palm full of _obolus_. A grunt of acknowledgement preceded the gentle push of the boat away from the shore. It jolted under Gabriel’s feet causing him to trip and drop heavily onto the bench. Nathalie stifled a giggle.

Tom was swift and sure, and the ferry soon landed on the far bank. The moment Gabriel’s feet hit the ground of the mortal world, wildflowers sprouted and grass spread out from his steps. Gabriel looked down in shock. For the first time in ages he was back on mortal soil, his powers of nature no longer stifled by the underworld. 

Nathalie looked down at their feet, a light dancing in her eyes.

“I always knew that you walked with flowers, I just didn’t know it was literal.”

“Oh, hush.” He said without rancor and she giggled. He offered her an arm to keep the both steady as they traversed the riverbank. It was nice being with her, even in such a desperate situation. They were clearly going to find out just how bad it was, but even so, she made it feel less dire. 

That was until he saw the devastation. Everything was brown, a monochrome landscape the same color as the rocks from which the plants should have grown. Where there should have been green was dry and dead.This was wrong. It should be green. The trees should be full of fruit. The fields should be full of crops. The power flared within him, instinctually, flooding him to the edge of his control. His hands shook as he reached out, feeling the power release over a wider area than he’d ever worked before. A strained smile turned his lips as pale green began to flood the area. 

“Gabriel, be careful.” She cautioned her touch light but enough that the weight registered through his dismay. Gabriel’s concentration snapped and the plants stopped growing, the pale new growth nearly invisible among the damage. “We are in the mortal world, you can’t use too much power.” 

His indignation froze in his throat as the ground rumbled under their feet so hard they had to cling to one another to remain standing. 

“What have we here?” They turned at the voice. What met his eyes was infinitely more worrisome than some dead plants. The massive forms of the titans stood before them. 

“I don’t think these are the one we’re looking for.” Another said.

“Perhaps they know where he is?”

“Little niece, where is the child Adrien?” The first spoke again. 

“Yes, little niece, tell us. We are hungry.” The others insisted in a disgusting chorus of affirmation. 

“Leave him alon-“ Gabriel was roughly pulled back by Nathalie cutting off his words. He looked at her in furious shock. The gravity of the situation lost in his parental fury. 

“Oh? They do know.” The large face dipped closer, mouth split in an eager hungry grin. “Tell us and we won’t eat you.”

Their blood ran cold at the sight. Unconsciously they stumbled back a few steps trying to put distance between themselves and the titans as though a few measly steps would work against the giants. At this, the titans laughed so thunderously it terrified a flock of birds into noisy flight. 

“We have no quarrel with you, titans.” Nathalie’s voice cut like a knife through the echoing rumble of their conversation. The trailing edge of her skirt seemed to lengthen swirling in shades of blue and black. The sheer power that accompanied this was evident in the tolling echo of Her command. “Be on your way.”

“That’s adorable. little niece wants to fight,” One remarked to another.

“Then a fight she shall get.” A third laughed. A large foot stomped down, the ground bucked and shattered under the impact sending Nathalie and Gabriel flying in opposite directions. 

“Nathalie!” The cry tore from his throat with ragged desperation. She disappeared from view, the rocks crashing and rumbling as the earth settled after the quake. The once flat area was now riddled with enormous rocks radiating out from the cratereous step. Instinctually Gabriel had caught himself in a net of vines that lowered him down to the now uneven ground. 

Looking up into the mocking faces of the titans, it felt like the only thing left inside him was fear. Where was Nathalie? He couldn’t find her. The titans were getting closer and _he couldn’t find Nathalie._

Anxiety swirled in his chest growing and swirling into full blown panic. It tapped into the core of his powers and filled him with power. It erupted, sweeping out in a a concussive wave. There came an ominous rumbling before the trees shot into the sky like spears aimed at the titans. From the sound of it, he got at least one. His vision tunneled. His power was out of his control. It flared around him and the vegetation reacted, growing snarled and angry. 

Then a massive hand sped toward him and before he could do anything to stop it pain blossomed through his side. The ground went out from under his feet. He hit hard enough to jar his bones. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was a gargantuan golden corgi, tongues lolling from each of its three mouths, and his son perched on its back glowing golden in the sun.That was absurd, Adrien was safe in the underworld. 

Everything faded into black. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helpful words:  
> Styx- the river styx is one of the five rivers of the underworld. This is the river in which Achilles was dipped to grant him imperviousness.  
> Tartarus- A section of the underworld that is basically like a dungeon. This is where Zeus sends people for punishment, like Sisyphus.  
> Agora- the central public space of the community. Where you would find such places as temples, the prytaneion, etc.  
> Oikos- basically home, or household.  
> Obolus- money, traditional currency used to pay the ferryman Charon.


	4. Chapter 4

Nathalie was pacing. It was the first thing he heard upon waking, the steady tap-tap-tap turn.he did it often when lost in thought. She’d spend hours pacing back and forth across the throne room whenever something was on her mind. The sound was reassuring; surely if she was pacing then she was fine. Then he felt ahand in his, small and warm and a little sticky. Adrien must have eaten fruit recently. The thoughts were mundane as his consciousness returned.

Then the pain hit. 

He groaned and Nathalie’s head snapped around as Gabriel pushed himself up from the pillow. Adrien clambered over to help him sit up, his hands fluttering uncertainly overhead when Gabriel grit his teeth as the action pulled at the wound on his side. Nathalie joined them hovering behind the boy. A dried streak of blood on her cheek was flaking off as her face creased in relief. 

"Father, are you okay?" Gabriel blinked bleary-eyed, focusing first on his son then on Nathalie. He nodded vaguely, and a relieved smile broke across Adrien’s face. "Oh, thank goodness. What happened?"

"Nothing too serious, son. I must have over-exerted myself out in the mortal world." Adrien didn't look very convinced by his lie when he shifted then winced again, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. 

"Adrien, why don't you go and get some water for your father." Nathalie gently touched the boy's shoulder. A wave of relief rolled through Adrien at finally being able to do something other than worry. After carefully hugging Gabriel he left leaving the two behind in now tense silence. 

Nathalie took Adrien's place on the edge of the bed. Gabriel watched as she soaked a cloth in water and wrung it out, the gentle splashing of the water the only sound in the room. It gave him a chance to look at her, truly look at her. The soft slope of her cheek and the vibrant blue of her eyes that were distressingly covered with long-dried blood that trailed from her hair. It made Gabriel wonder just how long he'd been out. 

He was startled from his thoughts as the cool cloth was pressed to his forehead. A frown pulled at his lips. 

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She replied levelly, dabbing at his face. He caught her hand, stealing away the cloth despite her protests to wipe at the blood coating her cheek.

"You need this more than me, Nathalie." The metallic scent stung their noses, but she let him dab at her cheek. It was nice, for once, to be able to do something for her, the woman who had kept him and his son safe all these years, sharing everything she had while never asking for anything in return. His heart lurched painfully in his chest, tears burning at the backs of his eyes. He reached out a shaking hand to cup her cheek ever so lightly. Her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned into the touch. 

Then those blue eyes opened again and she was gone. She stood in the center of the room with her back to him. Gabriel stared after her, tugging at the cloth still in his hold.

"What happened? How did we get away?"

"Barkk." 

“So that really did happen.” 

“If Adrien hadn’t showed up, you wouldn’t- wouldn’t-” the words caught in her throat. Her knuckles turned white around her biceps. 

"I thought for sure we were dead. I thought - I thought you were dead. Nathalie -" He struggled to his feet, biting back another groan. At the sound of his movement she spun around forcing him back into the bed before he'd even taken a step. He caught her hand before she could leave again, his fingers curling around hers, warm and alive. "Please don't ever do that again." 

Her eyes were unreadable, but her fingers curled around his in return, and that fractured fear in his heart healed a little bit.

“What happened to the titans?”

“They’ve been defeated. Your trees had them off balance, then Adrien showed up. His and Barkk’s arrival was just the distraction I needed to send all of them to Tartarus. It’s where they should’ve been after the war.” The last of his tension seemed to fade away at that, and he slumped back into the pillows. Their hands were still anchored to each other. Silence fell between them as worried thoughts cluttered his mind: Nathalie was okay; she was there in front of him; the titans were safely locked away, Herro likely knew.

“He’s found us, then?”

“We don’t know that, Gabriel. Those were the titans we ran into, not Herro. I think he was trying to draw you out by destroying all of your plants.”

“He certainly knows how to anger a person.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “Adrien left the bounds of the underworld earlier. He _must_ know.”

“Be that as it may, he can’t do anything while you are here. The underworld is outside of his control, so you’ll be safe as long as you stay." 

“I wish we could.” He said, playing with her fingers, twining and untwining them unconsciously. It wasn’t that simple anymore. It took nearly losing her to finally realize he would do anything to protect her. 

“You could. You could become my consort, the king of the underworld. Then you could stay here. Safe.” Her fingers caught his, holding them in place with a poignant look. Something was brimming under the surface, years’ worth of feelings building to only now become realized. 

“My lady.” Before he could answer there was a knock at the door. A blank faced helmet of one of the guards peered into the room. Even without without an expression it was clear that they were uneasy. This was not going to be good news. 

“Yes, what is it?”

“Lord Jagged is here. He’s requesting that Lord Gabriel go to Olympus.” Their worried gazes met at this pronouncement. If Jagged was here it could only mean one thing: Herro knew. Everything they had been fearing was happening. It was only a matter of time, he knew, the resignation settling like a cloak around his shoulders. 

“Tell him I’ll be right there.”

“You can’t.” Gabriel objected and she made a noise in the back of her throat. She pressed him back into the pillows, and in response he tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, smiling wryly. “You know that you can’t just leave the underworld like that.” 

“I’m sure everyone would survive for an hour or two.” She said as she lingered, almost as though she couldn’t bear to leave. Gabriel held her hand that much tighter hoping that she wouldn’t. “Relax, I’m just going to talk with him. I need to know more about this. Please, rest.”

Gabriel wanted to object again but the cool brush of her fingers smoothing back a few wayward strands of hair and flowers made his eyes flutter closed. He thought he felt the touch of her lips to his forehead but when he opened his eyes, she was gone. 

“Do you think Herro is going to demand the young master?” The whispered words slithered around the doorway. His gaze flickered there to see one of the nymphs appear in the doorway, holding a heavy tray piled high with fresh fruit. 

“That’s the consensus,” a second voice murmured. “From what I’ve heard he’s ready to destroy everything if he doesn’t get the young master soon.”

The first nymph hastily shushed her companion. There was some scuffling sounds as they moved about, but Gabriel was no longer listening. Fear ratcheted his heart to a gallop in his chest. No. Herro didn’t get to win. Herro was not going to take his son away. It was time to stop hiding. Herro knew where they were and would stop at nothing to achieve his goal, but perhaps not if Gabriel could stop him. 

Gabriel managed to get all the way upright despite the ache in his side. The pain was manageable. Leaning on his arms for a moment he gathered his power. It filled him with strength and determination. He just needed to catch Jagged before he left. 

The sharp sweet smell of pomegranate perfumed the air from the fresh picked seeds piled in a large bowl. So tempting. If this was going to be his last time in this place then, he was going to finally taste those pomegranates. He paused, then he plucked a few of the pomegranate seeds from the bowl, popping them into his mouth. They burst full of flavor across his tongue, sharp and sweet at the same time.

It was easy to find Jagged, but difficult to ensure Nathalie did not see him. 

“Whoa, man. What are you doing here?” Jagged exclaimed before Gabriel’s hand slapped over his mouth, cutting him off. 

“You are going to take me to Olympus like you were ordered.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Lady Nathalie just -“

“Do this for me, Jagged. Please?” Jagged looked skeptical. “I have a plan.”

This did not impress the god, and he continued to frown at Gabriel. 

“If you don’t, I’ll tell Nathalie just what you get up to on your ‘breaks.’” 

There was nothing Jagged could do but concede.

  
  


It was dark in Olympus as they emerged through the clouds. A murky haze lingered over everything. It covered the marble buildings, making them seem more gray than white. The ethereal golden glow that filled the place had vanished, leaving behind a desolate gloom. As they landed outside the prytaneion Gabriel realized that ragged cracks split the floor, toppled columns littered the ground in broken hunks of rubble. The very damage that Gabriel had watched Herro inflict on Olympus remained broken after all this time. Dead vines struggled to stay wrapped around the cold stone like desiccated bones. 

Gabriel looked to Jagged, his question caught in his throat, but Jagged just shook his head. The once illustrious palace of the gods had fallen into ruins, ruled by the maniac king. A man who would throw the entire balance of the world just to win. 

Picking their way carefully through the minefield of rubble they emerged in the broken bouleuterion. The council sat in a ring round the room around a large central throne where Herro lounged lazily. two of which sat empty. One filled by Jagged, the other ominously empty. A staff twirled idly in his hands. When Gabriel entered, the gods fell silent. All eyes turned to him, the weight of their gazes settling on his shoulders like a mantle of desperation. Their fear collided with his own making it almost impossible to keep moving forward, but he had to. For Adrien. The trail of flower petals fell in his wake as his ever present diadem withered to vines. 

“Well, well.” Herro drawled. He gripped his staff, his eyes lit with a feverish light above a smile like a shark’s permanent grin. It was unnerving “Lord Gabriel, such a pleasure. It’s been so long.”

“Enough with the false pleasantries. You called me here.” Gabriel said. His hands clenched at his sides as Herro tsked. The room felt glacial under his manic gaze.

“Fine then,” Herro laughed and sat back. A wave of relief settled through the room. “You must come back to the mortal world, god of nature. You can’t upset the balance like this.”

“ _I’m_ not the one who did it.” The corners of Herro’s smile twitched at this.

“It’s your duty to fix it.”

“And I shall,” Gabriel said bowing his head slightly. “But only if you agree to leave Adrien alone.”

_Ha_! The humorless laugh cracked through the room. Startled eyes turned to Herro as his laughter bubbled into near hysteria. The council froze as the self proclaimed king lost it. 

Herro straightened, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes. “No.”

"Then I won't do it. You'll have to force me."

"I ought to kill you for that disrespect." Herro roared, crossing the space between them in an instant, the cold tip of the staff pressed to Gabriel’s neck. 

"Kill me then, if it means you'll let Adrien live."

"Why should I?"

"I'm the father, aren't I? The sins of the father are not the fault of the child. Let my son go and be appeased by my death." It was torture to wait

Gabriel closed his eyes with his chin held high, waiting for the blow to come. 

_Clang_. His eyes shot open, noticing first the ebony bident and crackling staff, then the bright red streak in the hair of the person before him deflecting the blow, and finally to the half of pomegranate held in one hand. With a grunt she shoved Herro back. The force and surprise of this sent the god flailing into his ‘throne.’ 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You wouldn’t want to be breaking the rules, would you?” Nathalie’s clear voice echoed through the room. Herro snarled and rushed to his feet again.

“What nonsense is this?”

“Simply put, Lord Gabriel is under my domain. As such, he cannot be punished by Olympus.”

“Lies!” 

"Nathalie, what are you doing?" Gabriel hissed as he caught her arm, drawing her gaze. 

"What I should've done long ago." Her fingers traced his cheek, determination in her countenance. She turned away, placing herself like a shield before him. 

“What do you plan to do about it?”

“This.” Nathalie whipped the bottom of her bident up with a slash of power. It went hurtling toward him so quickly Herro barely had time to block. The attack crashed against his staff in a spray of sparks so bright that even the gods had to look away. When it faded away and the room fell back into gloom they were gone. The Herro’s furious scream echoed around them, bouncing off the rubble as Nathalie towed Gabriel to her chariot. 

“How could you be so stupid?” Nathalie turned on him the moment both of them were safely headed away from Olympus. 

“I thought I was doing the right thing.” He caught her wrist stopping the weak weight of her hit. Curling their fingers together, he brought her hand to his heart. “I thought I could protect you and Adrien.” 

Her forehead thudded to his collarbone, and the only thing he could think to do was wrap his arms around her and hold her just as tight as she clung to him. Not letting go even when they returned to the underworld.

“Father!” Adrien called as the chariot rolled to a stop outside the main hall. “Where did you go? I thought something bad had happened.”

There was a moment where Gabriel’s mind had to catch up, before he gathered Adrien close, squishing him between them. Nathalie readily accepted this,clutching Adrien as tightly as she held Gabriel.

“Ah, such a happy reunion.” The icy drawl dripped over them like freezing rain, trailing fingers of fear through Gabriel. Herro stood before them with eyes like fire, lightning crackling fiercely in his hand. It shot forward without warning. Gabriel shoved Nathalie and Adrien away, sending them tumbling clear of the blast. It hit like cold fire burning through his veins. Someone screamed. 

There was a roar as if the the earth was breaking open

Gabriel rolled to his feet with effort, the scene before him the glittering with lightning splashes against the rattling bones of the dead. Nathalie stood with bident outstretched, blocking bolt after bolt of lightning, the smell of ozone thick in the air. 

Adrien cowered by the chariot, left behind when the horses fled. Adrien. Gabriel scrambled to his feet. The broken ground slipped out from under him as he slid to a stop in the relative safety of the chariot. Gabriel assessed the boy. There was some dirt in his hair and panic in his eyes but all in all he was whole and well. 

“Who is that? What is happening? Why is Nathalie fighting him? Dad? Dad!” 

“That is-“ Gabriel paused. He had hoped it would never come to this. He never wanted Adrien to know, to live with the pain that his knowledge would bring. He closed his eyes for a moment, probably longer than he should. A blast of lightning sizzled through the chariot,and they flinched. “That is Herro, current King of Olympus.”

“Why is he here? Why is he attacking us?”

“He wants to kill you.” All of the blood drained from Adrien’s face as the words processed. “He blames you because his wife, your mother, had relations with me and wanted to make you their heir.”

“How could you have never told me this?” The betrayal in his son’s voice was like a lance to the heart. “Why didn’t you tell me!”

“I was trying to protect you.”

“Protect me from what? The truth.” He snarled sardonically.. “Where is she then, my mother? Wouldn’t she be better equipped to handle this?”

“She’s dead, Adrien. Herro -“ 

“Of course.” Adrien shoved both hands into his hair.

“Ugh!” Nathalie’s form skidded past them, rolling out a growing stop against the cavern wall, followed by laughter from Herro. Gabriel looked frantically between Nathalie and Adrien and Herro as the king stalked after her. He lifted her with ease and slammed her into the wall. Cracking bands of lightning wound around her form, tying her in place. 

“I know you are upset right now, but please, please just run. Run and don’t look back. I love you.” Gabriel reached out as though to cup his son’s face but decided against it, instead using a push of power to send Adrien far away. He spun to face Herro, the vines twining around his head gnarled and knotted with thorns. Gabriel faced the man who still laughed, eyes dancing with madness.

“Where did the boy go, Gabriel?” Herro demanded. His voice was like ice under the veneer of a smile.

“You‘ll never know.” Gabriel reached out arms high and clawed his hands down, hoping that the plants would feel him from below. Herro watched him for a moment, the humor fading from his face, but as nothing happened his laughter started again only to die as roots shot like arrows from the ceiling. 

Herro cursed and dodged rolling up into Gabriel’s space, sending him flailing back. Each blow that Gabriel blocked rattled his very bones, but still they didn’t stop coming. Gabriel fell, staring up at the manic eyes of Herro as the crackling tip of the lightning bolt hovered before his nose.

“Gabriel!” 

“Ah, perfect timing.” Herro tossed a glance over his shoulder to Nathalie. She struggled against the binds, panicked fury on her face, the color leaching from her eyes. “If you tell me where I can find the boy, then I’ll spare him.” 

Nathalie’s desperate eyes turned on Gabriel. He shook his head, the corners of his lips turning up sadly. Tears pooled in her eyes.

“Very well,” Herro sighed, heavily, and turned the bolt on Gabriel. Pain. The sound of Nathalie cries. Finally, reprieve. 

Gabriel gagged and coughed. The grit of the dirt ground against his cheek, damp from sweat? Tears? Blood? He wasn’t sure, simply glad his heart still beat. A toe caught his shoulder and flipped him over, knocking the little air in his lungs away. 

His vision felt like watercolors,, insubstantial and running together. Everything, except Nathalie. Her, and the maniac approaching her. No. _no_ . Gabriel begged his limbs to cooperate. If only they would just _move_. 

“It didn’t have to be this hard. All you have to do is tell me where to find the boy and I’ll overlook this whole thing.”

“Never.” She spat at him. “I’ll never let you hurt him.”

“I am your king!”

“You are a fraud!”

The roar of fury was all the warning there was before the bolt was headed straight for her heart. Gabriel threw himself between Nathalie and Herro. The bolt smashed into his chest. He hung there for a moment, long enough to feel the barest brush of air from Nathalie’s gasp before gravity pulled him to the ground. There was a deep trembling echo that grew around them coming from the very walls. Waves of power filled the space, cold and dark and infinite. 

Then, nothing. 

* * *

Not exactly nothing. It had only seemed like nothing at first. His awareness of everything around him had fractured away, leaving only himself. There was no pain, thankfully. It was darkness, yet there was a warm glow. Rather counterintuitive. He sought the glow, reaching out as though he could touch it, then surprisingly, he could. His hands curled around the glowing pomegranate seed floating before him, and the instant he touched it sound came flooding back. 

Chaos. The sound of chaos: clashing weapons, growling barks, and yelling. 

Opening one eye was easier than he thought it would be, his body free from the agony of earlier. What he saw made even less sense than what he had heard. Herro fended off the attacks coming from two sides as Nathalie and Adrien, astride his fearsome steed, fought in unison. 

They appeared to be locked in a stalemate. Gabriel hummed with a power that he’d never felt before as he stood up. Planting his feet in the ground he drew the power up with his arms. It surge under his control and when it felt strong enough Gabriel twisted and sent it hurtling toward Herro. 

Crackling dead vines rattled and shook as they shot out of the ground, threading together into a massive pillar that slammed into Herro. The king hurtled through the air with a terrified scream before dropping out of sight into the depths of Tartarus. 

“Gabriel?”

“Father?” The twin exclamations of disbelief came in unison. Then suddenly, both had their arms wrapped around him. Alive, if a little worse for wear, and Gabriel was more than happy to hold them tight. His son and the woman he loved. 

“Wait, if he was the king and he’s gone who’s in charge now?” Adrien asked. Nathalie met Gabriel’s eye. Both of them turned slowly towards the young god. The boy’s eye’s widened darting between the two of them in confusion. “What? What is it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Helpful Words:
> 
> bouleuterion- council house, or assembly house  
> Bident- much like that of the trident but instead of three tines, there are only two.


	5. Chapter 5

Adrien was crowned king and Olympus rejoiced. The earth flourished again under Gabriel’s hands, and the world became peaceful once more healing away the damage from Herro. Life settled back into simplicity. 

There was just one last thing that needed doing.

With the defeat of Herro Gabriel and Adrien no longer had to hide, yet nowhere felt so much like home as the underworld. Nathalie would have let him stay no questions asked but he had one very important answer for her. It was with this goal in mind Gabriel arranged the lakeside lunch. 

“Nathalie?” She turned sleepily at the sound of her name. The soft tittering of birdsong harmonized with the steady lapping of the lake, lulling the two into an idyllic ease. “Nathalie.”

“Mm?” She made a somnolent sound of inquiry. It was such a comfortable moment, and Gabriel knew, more than ever, that he wanted this to last forever. With her. He caressed her cheek, which drew a drowsy grin. 

“Yes.”

“Yes to what?” Her eyes cracked open. Confusion creased her brow adorably. He pressed a fingertip there not bothering to fight the smile. 

“Yes. I’ll marry you.”

**Author's Note:**

> This story was created for the GabeNath Reverse Bang and the amazing art of Granada_Ctonica check it out [ here!](https://granadactonica.tumblr.com/post/638770120111603712/im-praying-theres-saving)


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